Too Often Forgotten: The Prohibitions Pekurban Must Not Do

With the arrival of the first ten days of Dzulhijjah, many Muslims prepare to perform the qurban. Behind the effort to select the best animal, many pekurban forget two important prohibitions based on the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). That is, pekurban are forbidden to cut their hair and nails until the sacrificial animal is slaughtered. As is known, the qurban is a major act of worship in Dzulhijjah. The prohibition on cutting the nails and hair for the sacrificer is based on a hadith narrated via Ummu Salamah. ‘When the first ten days of Dzulhijjah have begun and one of you intends to sacrifice, do not touch hair or skin at all until you have sacrificed’ (hadith in the chains of Ibn Majah and Ahmad). In fact, the prohibition on cutting hair and nails also extends to the sacrificial animal itself, prohibiting trimming the animal’s hair or nails until it is slaughtered; this is taught in the same hadith narrated from Ummu Salamah and elaborated by a hadith from Aisha (RA). The Prophet Muhammad said, ‘There is no deed more beloved to Allah on Eid al-Adha than sacrificing. It will be presented on the Day of Judgment with its horns, fur, and nails. Its reward reaches Allah before the blood from the slaughter touches the ground. Therefore adorn yourselves by offering the sacrifice’ (hadith in Ibn Majah). In other words, these hadith establish two rulings: first, a prohibition on the sacrificer touching their hair and nails until the animal is slaughtered; second, a prohibition on cutting the hair and nails of the sacrificial animal until it is slaughtered.